🔨 Back to School Edition
School Committee Supports Cellphone Ban | Coming Soon: Keefe Tech Reno | Community Events | The Civic Week Ahead
August slipped away into a moment in time, Framingham.
This issue also marks the 3rd anniversary of The Ham’er. Thank you for joining me every week, especially if you have been with me since day one. I appreciate all of the feedback, emails, shares and subscriptions. It has been quite the ride!
Happy back to school to our students, families, faculty and staff across the city. Have a great school year!
Let’s dive into the latest school news…
NEWS & UPDATES
1.| School Committee Supports Senate Bill Banning Cell Phones
At the last School Committee, members voted in favor of a resolution supporting statewide legislation that would banish phones from Massachusetts classrooms by fall 2026.
The backstory: The Massachusetts Senate already passed S.2581 in July. The bill would require all public school districts to go cell phone-free during school hours. Now it's up to the House to decide if Massachusetts joins the 24 other states telling students to put their phones away.
What Framingham's resolution says: The School Committee isn't just supporting the state bill - the resolution also calls for their own district-wide policy to ban student cell phone use during the school day. Think "bell-to-bell" prohibition, meaning no phones from arrival to dismissal, including lunch and between classes.
Statement from Sen. Spilka: “This measure will make classrooms a safer place to focus, grow and thrive, while supporting both our students and our incredible educators who guide them.”
The exceptions: Before parents panic about emergency contact, the policy would include reasonable exceptions for students with medical conditions, disabilities, or those needing accommodations through individualized education plans (IEPs). Districts must also ensure families can still communicate with their kids during school hours through established channels.
Why the urgency: According to the facts cited in the resolution, this isn't just about classroom disruption. Research shows students without cell phones write down 62% more notes, recall more detailed information, and score a full letter grade higher on tests. Plus, 72% of high school teachers call cell phones a "major problem" in their classrooms.
The local health survey: In a Framingham Student Health Survey in 2023, 64.4% of high school students reported they are on social media a few times an hour during the school day and 40% of students say it is making it hard to focus in school.
What they’re saying: “As a high school teacher for 21 years, I have piloted initiatives to regulate cell phone use in my own classroom. I can tell you from first hand experience that cell phones do cause disruptions to learning, adverse effects on social and emotional health. Teachers and administrators are spending so much time dealing with cell phone issues and that takes away from teaching. I can tell you with certainty when the phones go away student engagement skyrockets and positive interpersonal skills can be instantly seen,” said Chair Jessica Barnhill of District 8, who brought the resolution to the School Committee after discussions with district teachers and teacher union president Christine Mulroney.
The mental health angle: The resolution specifically mentions the bill aims to "promote student learning and mental health", referencing studies linking excessive cell phone use to increased stress, anxiety, depression, and decreased self-esteem.
Already happening: About 80% of Massachusetts school districts already have some type of cell phone policy, and roughly 80 districts reported implementing policies through a state pilot program.
Safety concerns addressed: School safety experts actually prefer phone-free environments during emergencies, noting that students checking parent texts instead of listening to trained staff can create chaos. The resolution acknowledges parents will still have "appropriate avenues" to reach their kids.
What's next: The state bill now sits with the House of Representatives. If it passes, districts would have until September 2026 to implement their policies, with the state providing model guidelines within 180 days of enactment.
The bottom line: Framingham's School Committee is betting that removing what the Senate calls the "greatest distraction device ever created" will lead to more focused, mentally healthier students.
2.| Keefe Tech Studying New Building Construction
Keefe Regional Technical School is officially in the process for a new building. The Massachusetts School Building Authority invited the school into its "Eligibility Period" in December. It is the first step toward what could become Framingham's most expensive capital project ever.
The money shuffle: Keefe Superintendent Jonathan Evans attended a recent Council meeting to discuss recent funding Framingham sent Keefe Tech for an upcoming feasibility study. Framingham originally gave Keefe $600,000, which caused questions at a Finance Subcommittee meeting.
Thanks to some creative accounting with health insurance savings, Framingham's actual cost dropped to about $400,000 for the feasibility study phase.
The total cost: The full feasibility study will cost $2 million. The state will pick up $1.2 million of that tab, leaving the school district to cover $800,000 total. They're using $200,000 from their capital fund plus those health insurance savings to make it work.
Why it matters: This isn't just another school project. If Keefe Tech moves forward, we're talking "hundreds of millions of dollars," according to Superintendent Jonathan Evans. That would make it potentially the biggest capital project in Framingham's history.
The students: Enrollment jumped from 875 to 902 students between 2023 and 2024, and they're running a capacity-based waitlist.
Timeline watch: The 270-day eligibility period kicked off in December. If they clear that hurdle, the next major milestone is April 2026 for the actual feasibility study and architectural planning.
The partnership message: Evans stressed that collaboration with Framingham will be essential, especially since the city represents a huge chunk of Keefe Tech's student base and investment share.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
parkrun is coming to Framingham at Farm Pond
parkrun is launching this September 13th.
what is parkrun?
parkrun events are "A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate – it's up to you!"
It is the same 5k (3.1 mile) course every Saturday morning 9:00 am at Farm Pond
The parkrun events are also timed, if you create a free account online and show your account's barcode at the end you receive those results via email & they're posted online
After each parkrun event, it is traditional for volunteers to hang out at a nearby cafe to finalize event timed results & socialize with event participants
This will be the 5th parkrun in Massachusetts! Please check out the parkrun website for the Farm Pond location to learn more https://www.parkrun.us/farmpond/
Please reach out to farmpond@parkrun.com if you have any questions and/or are interested in volunteering!
KFB Trash Bash 325
In honor of the 325th anniversary of Framingham, Keep Framingham Beautiful (KFB) is excited to host Trash Bash 325!
KFB’s goal is to get 325+ folks in the community picking up litter from Wednesday 9/17 to Wednesday 9/24; ANY amount counts!
Be part of something BIG as our 325+ Trash Bash participants will join an estimated 20+ million volunteers worldwide as both National and World Cleanup Days are on Saturday 9/20.
If you can participate, please fill out this google form - https://forms.gle/G8xToAyf3REwiimw9
Come Downtown for the Business Trade Show!
The Framingham Business Trade Show is just around the corner!
A multicultural day to explore local businesses, enjoy cultural experiences, and connect with the community.
Don’t miss it — September 7th from 2pm-7pm at the Memorial Building and Union Avenue.
The Civic Week Ahead
Tuesday, September 2
7:00pm: Council Agenda
Wednesday, September 3
Thursday, September 4
4:30pm: School Committee Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Subcommittee Agenda
6:00pm: Team Framingham 325th Celebration 3.25mi Fun Run Subcommittee Agenda
7:00pm: Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Committee Agenda
7:00pm: Planning Board Agenda
7:00pm: Framingham Public Library Long Range Planning Committee Agenda
Friday, September 5
11:00am: 325th Anniversary Celebration Committee Arts & Culture Subcommittee Agenda
In Closing…
Join me at the Framingham Business Trade Show this Sunday! This is a great way to meet and explore our Downtown businesses and their owners. Now more than ever, it is important we support our vibrant immigrant community.
Believe in Framingham,
